What are the Wages of Child Therapists in Kansas?

There are many Kansas residents who are interested in possibly pursuing a career in the field of child therapy. Many of these professionals, however, are hesitant about embarking upon their chosen career without having an idea of what they can expect to make. While child therapists do make more than the average professional working in the state across all fields, it is important to note that child therapy is not one of those fields that you should enter into just for the money alone. Being a child therapist is a difficult and often emotionally draining job that you truly have to love for the right reasons in order to succeed at. Remember, that child therapists deal with troubled children and adolescents all day every day, and that it takes a very special kind of person to enjoy this job and to do it well.

With that said, if it's money you're after, you can find it in the field of child therapy. The child therapists who make the most in Kansas are those who work in the practices of other professional in the field or who, better yet, own their own practices. These individuals are responsible for meeting with their young clients individually, diagnosing their problems when applicable, creating plans of action for improvement of said problems, and when necessary, referring their patients to other practitioners or changing up the plan of action. These therapists, who make their own hours, and decide how much or how little they will work make, on average, about $68.400 per year.

Next, there are therapists who work in the school system, either in elementary schools or in high schools. Their jobs involve meeting with students to help them work through problems at home and at school that are prohibiting them from being the best students they can possibly be and from growing into capable, high functioning adults. These professionals may be employed by only one school or may work in several schools throughout the district or even the state. They typically earn an average of about $65,710 each year.

Then, there are therapists who work in child welfare capacities, for the state. They might work in foster or group homes or with children making the transition either to or from the child welfare system. Their work is some of the most difficult, both personally and in terms of actual time spent working, but many also find it to be the most rewarding. They can expect to earn around $63,710 each year.

Finally, therapists who work in hospitals or rehabilitation centers, a growing area since more and more young people are grappling with addiction and substance abuse, can expect to bring home somewhere around $59,130 per year. They are the second lowest earning professionals in the field, next to those working with families as a whole, who make around $57,440 per year. Again, however, it's important not to go into a particular job just for the money, but because it's what you truly want to be doing.